“What if Jess and I stay here with the kids, and you take one out at a time, wearing the earpieces?” Marla pressed. Jessica shook her head immediately.

“And what if that thing comes back and kills us all while we’re waiting for Carlton to take his sweet time? We have to make a break for it, Marla, it’s the only way.”

They were all quiet for a moment. Carlton looked from Jessica to Marla and back.

“Right? Now, give me thirty seconds to get away from here, that way if something chases me, I can draw them away from you. Anything I should know?” Carlton paused at the door.

“Afton’s still alive,” Jessica said, and he nodded.

“This ends today,” he said quietly. “One way or another. Not one more child dies because of that psychopath. I owe that much to Michael.”

Jessica bit her lip. “We all do,” she said.

He forced a smile. “Good luck.”

“Good luck,” she echoed.

“Right.” Carlton clenched his jaw, then squared his shoulders and held the door open, poised to exit. “This was my idea?” he muttered, then closed the door behind him.

“Marla, do you know the way out?” Jessica asked, surprised to hear her own voice come out clear and steady. Marla nodded, standing up.

“We came in the back way. But I think if we go back down that hall, we can get out into the main dining room; should be easy to get out from there, right?”

“You’d think so,” Jessica muttered with an edge.

Marla gave her a level look. “You got something better?”

“No. I don’t.” Jessica turned to the three remaining children, who were watching them with wide eyes. “We don’t have to get far,” she said, searching for scraps of hope to offer them. “I need you to stay together, and stay with me and Marla. If you can do that, we’ll all be okay.” They looked at her like they knew she was lying, but no one said a word.

Jessica opened the door again carefully. The hallway outside the little room was dark, but Marla led them onward as if she really did know where they were headed. She held a large, battered flashlight out in front of her. She looked poised to turn it on but refrained from doing so, seemingly afraid of attracting more unwanted attention. Jessica’s eyes adjusted to the dim light as she took up the rear, alert to the slightest sign of danger.

They came to a T in the hall, and Marla turned without hesitation. A few yards ahead there was light: strings of small, bare bulbs lit the way at intervals, and the next fork in the hall was visible. We’re getting closer, Jessica thought, as they moved cautiously onward.